This image is not related to the article. [123RF]
This image is not related to the article. [123RF]

The newly inaugurated president of Kyonggi University, who is standing trial on charges of sexual misconduct, was removed from his post by the school's board of directors just one day after taking office.

The board of Gyeonggi Hagwon, the school foundation, convened an emergency meeting Thursday morning lasting about three hours from 8 a.m. and voted to relieve the president, identified only as A, of his duties, according to Yonhap.

The board had previously discussed whether to rescind his appointment on July 16, before his term officially began, but held off on a decision. It was concerned that canceling the appointment before his formal inauguration could put the foundation at a legal disadvantage in any future litigation.

Once A was officially inaugurated, the board moved the following day to remove him from his post.

The board said it plans to form a disciplinary committee soon and begin formal disciplinary proceedings against A.

Members of the university community welcomed the board's decision but said they intend to separately hold the board accountable for the process by which A was selected as president.

Ji Tae-hoon, president of the Kyonggi University student council, said members of the university community had repeatedly raised concerns about the board's undemocratic decision-making during the presidential selection process. "The board's failure to heed those concerns is what led to the current situation," he said.

A representative of the Kyonggi University alumni association said the board had finally moved to address a problem of its own making, but added that the association would continue to raise questions about the closed structure of the board's operations.

A said he would consider legal action in response to his removal.

In a phone call with Yonhap on Thursday, he called the decision to remove him just one day into his term "excessive" and said he would "review legal and administrative measures, including an injunction to suspend the effect of the removal."

A was selected as president-designate by the Gyeonggi Hagwon board in May. It later emerged that he was standing trial on charges of sexually assaulting a student at a previous university, prompting calls from the campus community for him to step down voluntarily. A has denied the charges and maintained his innocence.


husn7@heraldcorp.com